review by: Mladen Škot

If you're into underground Viking / folk black metal, Metalmessage Vol. III has everything you could wish for from a compilation. First, it's a theme compilation, as is obvious once you see the really cool artwork with Viking ships and warriors. Then, it has not been compiled by a magazine or a label trying to promote their bad bands along with the good ones. It has been assembled by a fanatic running his own website, where it is also available for purchase (So, Roberto, how about doing a Maelstrom Volume I then? No? Just a thought.) And finally — you probably haven't heard any of those bands. The vast majority of them are very enthusiastic — and also very good.

The assembly of similar-minded, but different-sounding bands is headed by Mistur (Norway), playing double-bass drum powered melodic black metal with epic atmosphere and a poignant theme. Lost Legacy's (Germany) brand of black metal is of a more classic, keyboard-driven type with a singer sounding like a better Shagrath then Shagrath himself. Then, Eluvetie (Switzerland) surprise you with a barrage of flutes and guitar work influenced by Dark Tranquillity. Finsterforst (Germany) sound like Finntroll doing speed thrash, while their compatriot one-man band Thiasos Dionysos brings a total mayhem with "Heidrun," featuring a polka rhythm, harmonica, thrash guitar, curiously seductive black metal vocals... and backing vocals done by sheep. The insane highlight of the album, or what?

After Episode 13 (Turkey), doing their average version of folk Dimmu Borgir, two more German bands follow. Hatred Divine start like any other melodic black band, but then switch into all sorts of melodies, most of them being very good. Kromlek are another highlight, sounding like all of the previous bands merged into one (minus the sheep) and funny breaks, catchy trollish melodies and mocking growls promise them a bright future. More surprises follow, but by now we're done with Germany and Hordak (Spain) are telling us a story about "Silvano, Senor de los Bosques" using epic bagpipes and some effective black metal guitars. The Czech Republic's Heiden like their raw black metal to sound like Skyforger, minus the folk instruments. Arafel play nearly flawless epic, technical black metal with a huge sound, and for another curiosity — how about a band from Israel inspired by Russian culture?

Due to occasional unequal loudness between the tracks, Legion of Darkness (Italy) might be harder to notice after having been subjected to Arafel's blasts, but their usage of both screams and melodic vocals backed by classic black metal is far from being bad. Demonic Resurrection (India) play the similar thing, but with more thrashy guitars, jumpy keyboards and many stop-go breaks, but they work fine within the music. Finally, the 14th track of a 76-minute CD is "Volam Do Lesu" by Trollech (Czech Republic) — the rawest, loudest, most straightforward (call it "truest") Pagan black metal song here and it is exactly what the compilation needed for a nearly triumphant conclusion.

Metalmessage Vol. III does its job very well — it will probably make you want to go online and check out the bands (a tip: Kromlek's wallpapers are very cool). And, if you're into burning compilations for your friends, look at it like the one your friend with a funny accent made for you. (7.7/10)